Do something every day for your addiction recovery. It goes without saying that early recovery is a challenging period. One’s mind, body, and spirit undergoes enormous changes from detox onward. Each day can vary from the next emotionally, but establishing a healthy routine helps people cope with their feelings and prevent one from acting adversely.
If you are new to addiction recovery, there may be days when you don’t feel like doing things for your recovery. This is normal, but we implore you to resist the temptation to forgo prayer, meditation, meetings, and working with others. Please remember that feelings are not facts, nor will they last forever.
It’s best to attend a meeting when you don’t feel like it; just showing up will get you out of your head and allow you to hear a message you needed to hear. It’s also a good practice to share in a meeting when you don’t feel like sharing. Processing out loud what you are experiencing will help you navigate a beneficial course forward.
Whenever you feel like picking up a drink or drug is the perfect time to reach out for help, either at a meeting or over the phone. It’s never a good practice to sit silently with your cravings to use drugs or alcohol. Relapse happens when we keep our thoughts and feelings to ourselves.
Attending a meeting every day in early addiction recovery is an excellent practice. Addiction and the urge to use is overcome when working with others. Working together is how the solution is found. In treatment, clients learn the value of mutual support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
Managing Addiction Recovery in Isolation
Solitude and isolation do not benefit people in recovery. However, there will be times when you are by yourself and need guidance. One of the benefits of establishing a healthy routine, and sticking to it, is that it gives you tools for managing triggers and cravings on your own.
While it’s always best to hurry to a meeting when you are having difficulties, it’s not always an option. Your cellphone can save your recovery if you utilize it whenever challenges arise—people new to recovery benefit from having a set of contacts that includes other support network members.
There are other ways to cope with trials and tribulations that do not involve others. Prayer and meditation are excellent tools to utilize when you are by yourself. Establishing conscious contact with a higher power is a mainstay of 12 Step recovery.
Many people benefit from hitting their knees every morning or in the evening as well. Clearing your mind and talking with your higher power can help you manage uncomfortable feelings and emotions in early and long-term recovery. It may take practice early on. In time, establishing contact with your higher power will become second nature.
Whenever you find yourself unable to reach a member of your support network, try prayer or meditation. If you are still struggling, consider taking a walk or reading recovery-related literature. Do something to take your mind off of the fixation to pick up a drink or drug.
Gratitude and Positive Affirmations
Identifying things you are grateful for today can help you as well. Grab a pen and some paper and jot down a gratitude list. It will remind you that you are not alone and that you have reasons to continue down the road of recovery. It can be helpful to carry a gratitude list with you wherever you go. When your day is going as planned, return to your list to ground yourself.
Even with a small amount of recovery time, you have a lot to be grateful for today. The mere fact of being clean and sober can be enough to pull you back from the edge. You may benefit from making a new list every day or once a week; new things will reveal themselves as you get in the habit of the exercise.
Many people in recovery benefit from positive affirmations. You may have heard the expression “you are what you think.” It’s true; our thoughts can influence our feelings and lead to healthy actions from one day to the next. How you speak to yourself can make a monumental difference.
Positive self-talk leads to a more positive attitude, and a positive attitude changes everything in recovery. Whenever an obstacle presents itself to you, tell yourself that you have the power to overcome the difficulty. You are superior to negative thoughts, and they do not have to control your life or stand in the way of your addiction recovery.
“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” —Neil Gaiman—
Southern California Addiction Treatment
At Pacific Shores Recovery Center, we help men and women begin and continue their journey of lasting recovery. Please contact us to learn more about our specialized clinical treatment programs. We can help you learn how to lead a fulfilling and joyous life in recovery.
